Engine starting apparatus



Sept. 14, 1931. R. M." RARD ONE 2,093,336

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS 7 Original Filed April 4, 19:54

w w R OMMMV 0 m M m m 1% W 15 being started.

Patented Sept. 14, 1937 ffPATENT OFFICES ENGINE STARTING. APPARATUS I Romeo M. Nardone, EastOrange, N; .L, assignor I to Eclipse Aviation CorporatiomEast Orange,

I N. 3,; a corporationYofNew Jersey Application April 4, 1934; Serial No. 718,994 Renewed November '7, 1936 I I e I I I 12 Claims. This invention relates to engine starting apparatus and more particularly to starters of the in ertia type. i

' Such starters have commonlyutilized a light inertia member or fiywheel which is actuated by 5 either manual or powermeansto averyhigh speed so as to store energy therein, the energy thus stored being then transmitted to a driven or engineengaging member, through a reduction gear train. [The use of a yieldable driving connection,

such as' a friction clutch, between the flywheel and the driven member has usually been included in order to protect the mechanism of the starter in case of overloads or backfiringof the-engine The. maximum constructions, it is practically impossible to obtain complete mesh before load transmission be-- gins, and sometimes when it is attempted to: engage the rapidly rotating-driving member with a rotatable member of a large engine to be started while the latter is at rest, only the ends of the teeth of the "engaging member become meshed, 30 and there not being suflicient metal to take up the load, distortion or breakingof the teeth occurs.

I It is therefore'one of theobjects, of the present invention to provide a novel engine starter of the inertia type inwhich the drivingmember may 35 be fully engaged with the rotatable member of the engine to be started without transmitting any load 'therebetween, and the full load may subsequently begradually applied, the full faces of the engaged teeth taking the stress without dis- 40 tortion or breaking. I

Another object isto provide an engine starter which is rugged and-strong enough and of suflicient capacity, to start a reasonably high com-- pression engine'in adependable and efficient man- 45 her wit'houtrequiring a structure of excessive size, weight, or cost of manufacture.

Another object is to provide an engine starter of the inertia type embodying a highspeed flywheel of considerable mass, and novel means for effecting movement .of theengine engaging ordriven member to engine engaging position during the first stage of the flywheels acceleration.

A further object is to provide a novel enginevv starter wherein'the driven member of the starter may be moved into. cranking engagement with the j load which can be transmitted by the startermechanism has a predetermined value, dependent, upon the capacity of the clutch; nevertheless, the starter parts 7 are sometimes damaged before the rotating driven member can be fully and completely meshed with the stationary engine member. In fact, with the present I engine to be started at a time when the'former is I subject to little or no driving torque, the driving connectionbetween saidmember and its source of energy being adapted to yield after said'movement hasbeen completed, and to continue to yield while the driving energy is being cumulatively 7 stored in the driving element of the starter. I

' These and other objectslwill appear more :fully from a consideration of the detailed description of the invention 'which'follows. Althoughonly .zone embodiment of .the present invention is described and, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, it is to be expressly understood that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only, and

is not to be construed as aflimitation of the scope of the invention, reference :being had 'for this purpose to the appended claims. 1

In the drawing: 1 Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional tview-of one embodiment of the present invention; and a I Fig. 2 is a, transverse sectional view, along the line 2--2of Fig. 1. i

- Referringto the drawing, reference characters 5 and 6 designate two sections ofv a built-up housing separated by a transverse partition 1 secured thereto by suitable fastening means 8 and centrally apertured to receive bearing means 9 constituting one of the supports for the transmission mechanism connecting the motor I I and the driv-v en member 12 which as shown is in the form of a pinion .slidableupon a supporting shaft I3 into engagement with a gear l4 shown as integral with the flywheel l5. of the engine to be started. As

shown, the driven end of the transmission mecham'sm including the engine engaging pinion I2 is housed within the section.5 and the latter is in turn supported on'the frame I! constituting part ,of the enginelcrank case, suitable supporting 'means being indicated at l8. Secured to the shaft I3 is a sleeves2l journaled in abearing 22 secured in the housing section 5 asindicatedat 23, the said sleeve 2| being flanged at one end as'indicated at. 24. and coursely threaded-at its opposite end asindicated at 26, the threading corresponding tothat of a nut 21 locked in position upon a barrel or cup-shaped element 28 by suitable means such as the locking ring 29'. As shown, theba-rrel 28 has portions of its cylindrical'surface cut awayat one endto receive correspondingly spaced. radial projections on the nut 21 whereby rotation of the latter is-communicated to the former and a drive is thus transmitted to the pinion 12 at which the forward end-3lof the barrel is rigidly connected, as indicated at 32. A suitable nut 31- adjustably fixed to the shaft I 3 as by threads 38 limits the forward threading action of the nut 21 upon the screw threads 26, in conjunction with an interposed compression .spring 39, one end of which abuts a washer 4| 7 bearing against the lateral surface of the nut 21 j and the opposite end of which engages a seating rim 42 on the stop nut 31. v This seating rim 42' also receives a second compression spring" 44,- the opposite end of which bears upon the forward end 3| of the barrel 28 andtakes up shock oi disengagement of the pinion l2, upon starting."

When the initial rotation ofjshaftpll imparts a. threading action to the nut2l, it, in conjunction with the rotation restraining 'jeiiect of the'i'riction exerting springs 48, insures a'i'orward movement of the barrel 28 and hence an engagement described in response to the first rotary movement of the armature shaft 5i ofthe motor ll',

but at the same time to delaythe actual-transmission of driving torque to the engine-member 14 until after, the motor has been energized for -a period suflicient to store areserve supply of g I h elements BI and I! so that rotation isimparted kinetic energy, an inertia member "52 inwhich such energy may be stored is: fixed, as indicated at 54, to the armature shaft BI, and said inertia member 53 isprovided with a tapered periphery 59 adapted to beengaged by a correspondingly tapered friction shoe 6| secured, as indicated at 62, to the annular mm 63 of a clutch member 64 having a hub 66=splinedor otherwise suitably secured to an intermediate shaft--81 journaled:

in the previously: described bearing 9 and terminating in a pinion 68 adapted to mesh with supporting. cage ll "drivably connected by suitable pins 12 to the flange 24 01 the pinion ac-- A ilxedly held internally toothed annulus 11 constitutes: the reaction member with which the pianetary elements 89 mesh in their planetary movement about thecentral pinion or sun gear 68. A compression tuating sleeve 2 I.

spring 81 bears against the clutch member 64 at one end and is received within an annular pocket 83 in a collar 84 which, in conjunction with a' second collar 85' and the interposed" thrust members 86 and a retaining ring-81 secured to the hub' 66 as shown, completes the clutch controlling-assembly. The friction between flywheel surface 59 and the shoe 8| oi' the vclutch-member 64 insures transmission oi'sumcient turning effort through said engaged 'fric tion surfaces to impart the necessaryrotary movement to the driven sleeve 2i toinsurecompletion of' the meshingactionof the pinion I2 action is completed, however, the inertia of the member l4 resists further rotationrof the entire transmission, including theclutch member 64;

by the operator, the clutch actuating rock' shaft mg ofthe shaft 9|.

Si is turned in its bearings the housing section 6, and

the operator, being provided communicated to the by suitable arms 91 clutch actuating collar 85 starter may be engaged andaccelerate to high continued energization' 93 and 94 formed in best shown inFig. 2, a suitable lever 96, adapted to be actuatedlby to secure such rock- This rocking movement is having rounded ends 98 the thrustmember. ll andthe'inner, collar 84,

exerts a pressure upon the spring 0! which is in turn communicated to theclutch' elements '4 and I to cause transmission-otdriv'ingtorque j from thenow energized flsrwheein more now engaged pinion ILIA stop ingyj'lim'it themovementof arms 91, if desired." For this purpose each arm in has an extension 8! engageabie with aboss of casingwailli w torque'thus transmitted to theengine'flywheel constituted by theelement 2|, Meanwhilethe release or the lever M II to return the 'collar 84 into engagement withfthe retaining ring 81, thereby relieving'th e pre'ssure l on spring I I However, the mere I contact between surfaces '44 and fl issumcient to maintain a light frictional engagement between the type in which ahigh speed ilywhee'lfofconsider- 1 able weight has been, combined? with-a novel 1 transmission mechanism infsuch' a a plurality of planetary pinionsl! received in at.

started without danger parts of the starter.

ms'nner that maybe plied to a rotatablemember oi'fan of iwr wanro th s me w the provision of novel-means for controlling movement of the driven memberintocranking engagement, whereby said engagement my be When the engine has started bynthe ii, the resulting accelerationof the pinion 12 to l a speed beyond that oi the'stsrter driven sleeve 2| causes the nut 21 to be reverielythreaded" back to the positionindieated in Fig. 1, and this backward movementdraws along. the barrel a a z, and the pinion I! by reason connection enginetobef eii'ect'edwhen meal-wing member-issublect to little or no driving torque. By the use of the novel clutch control','the'driven memberrof the with member" without any danger of the of the engaging laws, and the storediin" the flywheel may thereafterbe gradually transmit- "ted to the driven member latter has become engaged with enginefme'mben, Moreover, under 'favorable' conditions, as in summer *weather, when startin'gfmsy' be accomplished with the exertion of comparativelylittle energy, it is possible to convert the into a directcranking starter by simply throwing; army 26 to apply full pressure to clutch atthe out-set, .as previously described. When such meshing rather than waiting forlthe flywheel" to be first accelerated. This-possibility increases'the.

usefulness of the invention. I I

1 It will be obvious" that the jinvention' is not limited to the form shown inithe drawingrbut is capable or a variety of mechanical embodiments.- Various changes, whichwill now appear to'those skilledin the art, may be made in the form, 'deg of the i of the tails of construction, and arrangement parts without departing from the spirit invention, and reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for'adeflnition of the limits ofthe invention;

, What is claimed is: I

1. In combination, a part a apted til-e gage and crank an engine member,;a' flywheel, a clutch of limited torqueftrsnsmitting capacity permanently engaging said flywheel, and means drivably connected with said clutch to translate the initial rotary movement of the clutch into an engine engaging movement of the engine engaging part.

2. In combination, a part adapted to engage and crank an engine member, a flywheel, a clutch of limited torque transmitting capacity permanently engaging said fly,wheel, and means drivably connected with said clutch to translate the initial rotary movement of the clutch into an engine engaging movement of the engine engaging part and means for limiting the pressure of said clutch against said flywheel to an amount insufficient to prevent acceleration of said flywheel following such engine engaging movement and prior to any substantial rotation of said engine engaging part. I

3. In combination, a part adapted to engage and crank an engine member, a flywheel, a clutch of limited torque transmitting capacity permanently engaging said flywheel, and means drivably connected with said clutch to translate the initial rotary movement of the clutch into an engine engaging movement of the engine engaging part and means for limiting the pressure of said clutch against said flywheel to an amount insuflicient to prevent acceleration of said flywheel following such engine engaging movement and prior to any substantial rotation of said engine engaging part, and manually operable means for increasing the torque transmitting capacity of said clutch.

4. In combination, an engine engaging member, a flywheel, a clutch of limited torque transmitting capacity permanently engaging said flywheel, and means including said clutch to translate initial rotary movement of the former into an engine engaging movement of the engine engaging member.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with an engine engaging member of an inertia member, a clutch permanently engaging said inertia member, means for rotating said inertia member to store energy therein, means independent of and distinct from said clutch to cause movement of said engine engaging member to engine engaging position in response to operation of said rotating means, said independent means comprising a sleeve frictionally engaging said rotating means, a shaft surrounding said sleeve, and means drivably connected with said shaft to translate the rotation of said sleeve into an engine engaging movement of said engine engaging member.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with an engine engaging member of an inertia member, means for rotating said inertia member to store energy therein, means independent and distinct from said inertia member to cause movement of said engine engaging member to engine engaging position in response to operation of said rotating means, said independent means comprising a friction exerting sleeve surrounding one end of said rotating means and drivably related to said engine engaging member.

'7. In a device of the class described, the combination with an engine engaging member of an inertia member, means for rotating said inertia member to store energy therein, means independent and distinct from said inertia member to cause movement of said engine engaging member to engine engaging position in response to operation of said rotating means, said independent means comprising a gear trainand a sleeve frictionally connecting, said rotating means with said gear train.

8. In a device of theclass 'described, the combination with an engine engaging member of an inertia member, a shaft extending through said inertia member and permanently secured thereto, means to rotate said shaft and inertia member to store energy in the latter, and means drivably connecting said inertia member'and shaft with said engine engaging member, said last named means including a part frictionally engaging said inertia member, a second part frictionally engaging one end of said shaft, and a second shaft rotatable with both said frictional engaging 10. In an engine starter, the combination with high and low speed shafts; of a planetary gear "train connecting said shafts, andincluding planets mounted on axles integrated with one end of said low speed shaft, an engine engaging member movable axially along the other end of said low speed shaft, means including a spring coiled about said low speed shaft to transmit axial thrust to said engine engaging member, and thereby cause its movement into engine engaging position, and pre-set means for yieldingly transmitting torque, up to a limited capacity, from said high speed shaft to said low speed shaft,

and remotely controlled means for varying the effectiveness of said pre-set means at any selected stage of the starting process.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination with an engine engaging member of an inertia member, means for rotating said inertia member to store energy therein, meansincluding a part engageable with said inertia member to cause movement of said engine engaging member to.engine engaging position in responseto operation of said rotating means, and means carried by said last-named means and tending to maintain the latter effective as a driving connection during the process of storage of energy in said inertia member.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination with an engine engaging member of an inertia member, means for rotating said inertia member to store energy therein, means including a part engageable with said inertia member to cause movement of said engine engaging member to engine engaging position in response to operation of said rotating means, and means disposed concentrically of said last-named means and tending to maintain the latter efiective as a a driving connection during the process of storage of energy in said inertia member.

' ROMEO M. NARDONE. 

